Q&A: Andrew Croker, Business Development Director, TeamCard - February 2005  

Andrew Croker is business development director at TeamCard. He spoke to S&T about his role at the sports smart card company and shares his opinions on the role of technology in sport.

Andrew Croker's involvement in sports marketing goes back more than 20 years. In the early 1980s he co-founded Cheerleader Productions and introduced American Football to UK screens. In 1987, he became the first head of sport at BSB where he pioneered modern style negotiations in TV rights and created the country's first thematic sports channel. In the 1990s Croker joined IMG to launch the group's soccer division. During his six-year tenure at IMG Football he introduced innovative commercial programmes for the FA and Wembley and pioneered new media in European soccer by creating websites for clubs such as Manchester United and Barcelona. He was director of sport for sports portal Sportal and also ran the Sportfive-led consortium that distributes worldwide TV rights for the FA Premier League. Croker took on the role of business development director at TeamCard in September 2003.

Please describe your role at TeamCard and why you took the role

"My role on the Board is to develop new business in sport, here and abroad. I could see that TeamCard is a great proven product, and really does address key marketing and technology issues for clubs."
 
How widely is the TeamCard system deployed in the UK?

"[It is used by] Chelsea, Bolton, Crystal Palace and Bolton. As a result of our joint initiative with BT we have just launched a 250,000 member scheme with Nova, who promote many events including the Great North Run."
 
What benefits does the TeamCard system offer to sports properties?

"Apart from its proven functionality - season tickets, stadium access, ID, loyalty and reward, ecash - it generates revenue for the clubs, and is a very compelling and sustainable proposition to all fans, namely lowering the cost of football [soccer]. The other key thing is that it is web-based, so whilst clubs pay lip service to 'turning fans into customers', this is the reality."
 
How easy is the system for clubs to implement and manage?

"The solution integrates with the existing club infrastructure such as gates, ticketing, CRM and retail systems. All the current clubs find it very straightforward, although their priorities are different. The security angle was key for Millwall for example."
 
You have been involved in sport and new media/technology for several
years -what is the biggest change you have seen?

"Satellite TV changed everything because of the economic and marketing impact. The Telcos will have the biggest impact in sports rights in the next cycle (particularly broadband), and in how we consume sport. My 11 year old son watches and consumes sport in a completely different way to me. I want to be led, he wants to be in control."
 
Do you think sports properties are getting better at implementing and
leveraging new technology?

"Most just go with the flow. But in the over-regulated market rights deals are getting shorter and they will never miss out."
 
Going back to your Sportal roots, which sports and what sorts of
offering work best on broadband and/or mobile in your opinion?

"Anything where you don't actually need to be watching. The Tour de France and sailing are great sports where you just need the news and data. With betting this will become more prevalent, just look at how people are gambling in Asia on cricket, using their mobiles."

Do you think sports new media rights are currently overpriced or good
value and why?

"Depends if you're buying or selling! We saw crazy 3G rights deals where the technology was just not there to exploit the rights, but in a free market with short term deals the range tends to be right. What you get is anomalies where they are bought for strategic purposes, for example to get market share."
 
What do you think will have the greatest impact on the growth in
broadband/mobile sports services in the future - either short term or
long term? 

"Broadband market penetration. And as above there will be short term land-grab deals, as in Italy."
 
You were responsible for bringing American Football to British TV
screens in the 1980s. Which technological developments within that sport
are you most pleased with?

"No idea, I don't watch it any more. In the end it's always the sport not the technology. It wasn't the same after Walter Payton [Chicago Bears player] retired. And I was always more of a closet baseball fan."

For further information on TeamCard's products and services, visit www.teamcard.co.uk

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